Former VP Mondale: 'It'll be a tough debate'

Mondale spoke with NECN about Thursday's vice presidential debate

Former Vice President Walter Mondale told New England Cable News he expects a feisty exchange in Thursday night's debate between current Vice President Joe Biden and the man who wants his job, Mitt Romney's running mate, Paul Ryan. "It'll be a tough debate," Mondale said. "[Nationally-televised debates] tend to be a clash."

The Thursday night debate will be Biden and Ryan's only showdown. NECN asked Mondale, who was in Burlington last week to see longtime colleague Tom Sullivan sworn in as the new leader of the University of Vermont, if the vice presidency matters in terms of generating votes for a ticket. "It does," Mondale answered. "The race between the president and his opponent is what people concentrate on, but also, the office of the vice president has become much more important."

Mondale said vice presidents represent the president overseas and around the country now more than ever, and tend to hold much more critical advisory roles in the Oval Office than they once did. "And I think the public understands that," Mondale added.

University of Vermont political scientist Garrison Nelson said vice presidential picks have influenced voters. "Certainly without Lyndon Johnson, Jack Kennedy does not become President of the United States," Nelson said, explaining that LBJ helped JFK win key states like Texas.

Nelson also said John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate raised some questions about his judgment. "Great care should be exercised in looking at the vice presidential choice because it's the first personnel decision made by a presidential nominee," Nelson said.

Margolis now lives in rural Vermont, but used to cover national issues for The Chicago Tribune. He was on the panel that questioned Dan Quayle and Lloyd Bentsen in a nationally-televised vice presidential debate in 1988. Margolis told NECN when Biden and Ryan square off, simply not faltering could translate into a debate win.

Margolis said, for example, Biden has a reputation for gaffes. "He needs to just watch his mouth," the journalist said.

On the other side of the ballot, Margolis noted Ryan's challenge may be avoiding allegations from Biden that Ryan wants to gut Medicare and other programs. "Ryan needs to make sure he comes over as centrist; part of the political mainstream," Margolis said.

Walter Mondale, who's now senior counsel at a Minnesota law firm, said polarization and conflict in politics today have become a real problem for the nation. He told NECN he hopes Washington can somehow return to more cooperation. "We're supposed to be creating a more perfect union," Mondale said. "Not a perfect union, but a more perfect union. We have to keep working at it."

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